On June 30, firefighter/EMT’s Glenn Boles and Reed Novak were about halfway through an uneventful 24-hour shift and having dinner at the Whispering Pines Fire Rescue Department (WPFRD). They were joined by Glenn’s wife, Carrie, their teenage son, Jackson, and their 4-year-old daughter, Ella. Unbeknownst to them, a dramatic and unforeseen situation was fast approaching the fire station.
At 6:28 p.m., an SUV pulled in front of the fire station, flashing its headlights, announced the fire department in a media release. In the vehicle were Village residents Bethany Jackson, her husband, Tim, and their 3-year-old daughter, Adaline. They were rushing to Moore Regional Hospital with Bethany in labor, concerned there wasn’t enough time, they decided to pull into the WPFRD in search of an ambulance.
Glenn quickly realized this was not a typical request for directions and immediately radioed communications to dispatch an ambulance. After a brief attempt to relocate Bethany into the station, she was positioned in the rear of the family’s SUV in front of the station.
With the baby’s arrival imminent, it was all hands on deck. Reed assembled the necessary medical supplies and assessed Bethany’s vital signs while Carrie provided comfort and coaching. With Tim and Glenn preparing for the delivery, Ella entertained Adaline in the apparatus bay, and Jackson retrieved additional supplies as needed.
Six minutes after arriving at the station, Bethany delivered a healthy baby girl (6 lbs., 14 oz.) into the hands of Glenn and Tim. With the baby crying and mom doing well, everyone took a deep breath and awaited the ambulance. After the paramedics arrived and completed an assessment of the newborn and mom, they were loaded into the ambulance and transported to the hospital.
On July 7, the Jackson family and baby Gracelynn returned to the fire station to share their appreciation and reunite with Reed, Glenn, and Carrie.
FF/EMT Glenn is a 14-year veteran with the WPFRD, currently holds the rank of assistant chief, and has been a full-time employee with the Village since 2022. Reed started with the WPFRD as a junior firefighter in 2023 and obtained his FF & EMT certifications last month when he turned 18 years old. Reed was working his second shift as a part-time FF/EMT with the WPFRD and began full-time employment with the Pinehurst Fire Department on June 23.
Feature photo: Reed Novak (left), Glenn Boles, Carrie Boles, Gracelynn Jackson, Bethany Jackson, Tim Jackson, and Adaline Jackson. Photo via WPFRD.
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